GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Green Bay Packers are sticking with running back Josh Jacobs despite the additional allegations of physical and verbal abuse against multiple women several years before the May incident that led to his arrest.
The Packers became aware of the previous allegations only after records were released last week. Those records indicated three women came forward after Jacobs' arrest earlier this year.
"We're going to allow the NFL to do its process, but I would anticipate him being a member of us moving forward," Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Monday. "That's really all I have to speak on."
Jacobs' attorneys said the previous claims are "unsupported and stale allegations" in a statement released on Sunday, two days after the Hobart/Lawrence Police Department in Wisconsin released records related to his May 23 arrest after an incident with a woman at his home near Green Bay.
Jacobs pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor charges in September. He was convicted of battery and fined $1,000 and agreed to a deferred judgment agreement on a charge of damage to property.
The Packers have continued to support Jacobs throughout the process and allowed him to return to the field in Week 7 after he was taken off the NFL's commissioner exempt list. Jacobs has played in the last two games, although the NFL has not closed its investigation. Jacobs' six games on the exempt list would count toward any suspension that might be forthcoming.
"Like I said, I'm not going to get into that up here right now," LaFleur said when asked why they're standing by Jacobs. "We'll just let the process play out."
LaFleur said he talked with Jacobs about his touchdown celebration against the Carolina Panthers on Thursday night, when Jacobs put his hands behind his back. He said after the game it was an ode to the gospel song "Break Every Chain" and had nothing to do with anything related to his legal case.
"I know he had his explanation, and I wasn't even aware of what happened until I saw the tape," LaFleur said. "But we had a conversation about that, and I'm going to keep the conversation between him and I, and you know, we're going to move forward."
The Packers have the NFL's worst rushing offense, and Jacobs' return hasn't changed that. In two games, Jacobs has 32 carries for 75 yards and one rushing touchdown plus 11 catches for 68 yards and two receiving touchdowns.